Sautéed Bananas Recipe

Here is a recipe I came up with that even your toddler will like! Actually, it is possibly a very common recipe, although I don't know if I ever saw a recipe for this in all my searching for good recipes!

This recipe is simple and easy to make. It only has two ingredients to it! What I like about it is the sweetness of the bananas once they are cooked.

Serve them as a side dish or on top of pancakes or cereal. I am going to put some of mine in homemade yogurt tonight.

First, slice the bananas into pieces about a quarter of an inch wide

Next, let the butter melt gently in a frying or sauté pan. Add the sliced bananas.

Let the sliced bananas cook over low heat until they start to turn golden. You can make them as golden as you want to, but don't cook with butter on too high of a temperature or else the butter will burn, and the product will end up with a burnt taste.

Sautéed Bananas

2 bananas, sliced into 1/4" slices

3 TBS. butter

Place butter in pan and cook on low heat. When butter is melted, add sliced bananas. Continue to cook on low/medium heat until the bananas start to turn golden. If you like them caramelized, continue to cook until fully golden, being careful to not let the butter burn. Serves 2 as a side dish.

This recipe can be doubled. It reminds me a little bit of Bananas Foster.

Source: The Everyday Homemaker

Berry Delicious Gelatin Dish

Here is a recipe that is similar to Jello, but without the artificial colorings and added sugars or sweeteners.

Berry Delicious Gelatin Dish

1 quart black cherry juice (can use cranberry or any other red fruit juice)*
3 TBS. gelatin powder**
2 10 oz. bags frozen berries
Liquid stevia to taste, if desired

Pour 3 cups juice into pot and bring to a boil. While waiting for juice to boil, take remainder of the juice and stir in the gelatin powder. When the juice comes to a boil, turn stove off. Add the gelatin mixture and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Pour into serving bowl. Add bags of frozen berries and stir. Add liquid stevia, if using. Place in refrigerator until gel sets.

*I try to use organic ingredients when possible. I also look for juice that has no sugar added. 

Bernard Jensen's 100% Bovine Gelatin

** Here is the gelatin powder I use.   There are a couple of different brands that are recommended. It is hard finding grass-fed, organic gelatin powder, but perhaps a store like Whole Foods would carry it. 

(There are affiliate links on this page. Thanks for your support).

Parents Please Protect Your Children - Too Many Horror Stories

   I know that those who go to this blog probably expect something light and happy here. But I feel like I need to remind us of the horror of the fact that there are pedophiles out there, and there are others who feel like they have a right to help themselves to whatever their hearts desire, even if it is harmful to others. They just don't care. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to their perversion, but the fact of the matter is, even if it doesn't make sense to us, it is still out there.

   I shudder in horror thinking back to a time when my adult daughter was somewhere between the ages of 8 and 11. The Internet was brand new and we let our daughters do way too many things without monitoring them.

   Fortunately, we had to share some of our computers. I noticed that there was a man who was periodically sending me messages. I didn't understand who he was or what his point was, so I ignored them. After a while, I realized that he must have had some kind of dialog with my daughter, probably more often then I was aware of what was going on.

   One day, I sat at the computer and a message was there. I began to dialog with this man. Somehow, he asked me my age, and I remember telling him that I was 43. He seemed surprised for some reason I didn't understand at that moment. Looking back, I believe he probably was thinking he was dialoging with my daughter. He seemed disappointed. I should have taken better control over the computer after that. Back then, the technology was not as sharp and it is today. He sent pictures as well, of himself. But today, he could probably even find out where we lived and where my daughter's bedroom would be located in the house.

   I remember another time, we were at the downtown library. I had my daughter (same one as in the paragraph above) who was about 4 at that time, and my son, who was a baby in a stroller. We were looking at books on the shelves and I heard a loud 'psst'. I looked around and didn't see anything. I kept an eye on my kids though. A couple minutes later I heard the same sound. Someone may have been trying to get my kids attention, but I was with them and they were not going to get out of my sight.

   Finally, in class last year (we were studying how to counsel children) we were taught about a situation that really happened to a woman who brought her 6 year old son to the store with her. The child was getting bored and continually complaining about being in the store. A young man started a conversation with her. He made comments like saying that he had a son who would do the same thing in the store. He appeared to be very friendly and warm. He offered to take the little boy to a video store nearby. The mother said no. The seemingly friendly man continued his dialog and asked the mother again if he could take her son to the video store. He promised to bring him back. The mother, wanting to be nice, said that he could take the boy with him. Sadly, the mother never saw her son again.

   Child sexual predators do not necessarily just go after little girls. They use little boys as well. Years ago, we could let our children walk around the store while we were shopping (if they were old enough). Today, this is not wise.

  Parents, please watch your children. I would not send them to a restroom in a store unless they were older and with someone. We live in a time when people in this country have turned their backs on God, and as a result, God has turned them over to their sinful pleasures. We see this in the political realm. We see people who have no self control and live for their sinful pleasures, without consciences that work, and without regards to whoever they hurt. We live in a generation where child abuse is rampant, and we are reaping what was sown in the last generation when people who were abused have grown up becoming abusers themselves. They need the Gospel message sent to them. Only the Gospel can permanently change people's hearts and give them a new start in life.

   Keep in mind that sexual predators do not see themselves as perverts. They live in a darkened world of lies and they have consciences that have been seared. Many are victims of sexual abuse and have no way to be able to change themselves. Some even make a lot of money who are in the business of pornography especially child pornography. Keep our guards up. Prepare our children so they can know what to look for.

Making Yogurt Can Now Be Easy

This is not a quick way to make yogurt, but it is an easy way to make yogurt.

We all know the benefits of eating yogurt. Yogurt contains the bacteria that your gut needs. But yogurt is tart and I don't like the flavor of it.

I love making yogurt. I have, at present, 3 different yogurt making devices. Plus, there are other ways you can use your stove to make yogurt with. But it wasn't until recently that my husband has decided he likes yogurt. I love making it. He loves eating it.

I do eat some yogurt here and there. I would like it if it has sugar in it, but since I am trying to do away with sugar, I haven't found it too palatable yet. Fruit and stevia make it taste pretty good though.

Yogurt can be used in place of buttermilk in some recipes. I also use yogurt to soak beef in, if I am planning on making a pot roast.

You can now make yogurt in something called an 'Instant Pot'. I love this versatile pot and when I was deciding whether or not to get one, I realized that there are different Instant Pots. Some are just different sizes. But they come in 2 different versions, the LUX and the DUO. If you decide to get an Instant Pot, and you want to make yogurt in it, you need to get the DUO version of it.

It is really simple to make, but altogether, it takes about 10 hours from start to finish, so if you want it for breakfast tomorrow morning, start making the batch today.

Here is a video showing how to make yogurt in the Instant Pot. I use this video every time I make yogurt using the Instant Pot.




(That is not me! She has good directions though).

Here is my finished yogurt

I think you would be able to get the Instant Pot at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. You can get them at amazon.com which is where I got mine.

Here is a link to the one I have:

 

Instant Pot IP-DUO60 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Pressure Cooker, 6Qt/1000W

Happy health and healing!

This page contains affiliate links. That simply means that if you go to the link and order anything from that link, I will receive credit from amazon.com. There is no extra charge to the buyer. It is just amazon's way of rewarding those who advertise their products.

Bringing Birds To Our Yards

We know that women are to build their homes and run their own households. There is a lot more to this than just sitting around eating popcorn and watching soap box operas all day. We want our homes to provide comfort and shelter for those who belong to the home, and for family and friends. This takes a lot of work, but is worth the results.

Here is an activity that is fun for the whole family. Many of us enjoy taking our kids to the zoo, but, there are things we can do that can bring animals to our yards!

I found this web site explaining how to make wild bird food, and the ingredients are mainly from food items we already have in our cupboards. The recipe is called, 'No Melt Suet' and the url to this link is http://thebirdersreport.com/wild-birds/feeding-wild-birds/no-melt-suet-my-secret-to-having-birds-beg-me-for-more

The ingredients he recommends are; lard or suet (should be able to find this from a butcher), crunchy peanut butter, quick cook oatmeal, yellow cornmeal, flour, and sugar. (Go to the link above for directions on how to make this recipe).

I had heard or read somewhere, where someone took a big bag of bird seed and dumped it in the yard, and it attracted many birds. I have tried this but was not very successful. I did attract squirrels though! It might be worth a try though, if you want to see what kinds of birds or critters will accept the dinner invitation.

Squirrels Eating Popcorn

  Another cool idea is to pop popcorn and leave it out. Watch what kinds of animals come by to eat the popped corn.

   If you leave leftovers outside, just keep in mind that certain kinds of chocolate can be harmful to animals which roam the streets.

Frankie, our cat, watching the visiting peacocks

Don't forget the salt lick for the deer!

You can actually buy deer corn at some Walmarts. I am sure they also have deer food at places like Tractor Supply. 

Our homes should be a place of nurturing and ministry. Even the animals can receive comfort from our homes.

Nice Smelling Fall Scents Using Essential Oils

I found some recipes in the latest issue of Living, put out by DoTerra. I tried 3 of them and like 2 of them a lot.

This one, I think we like the best. Since it has orange oil in it, it smells delicious.

Fall Harvest (Not sure of the true name of this recipe)

4 drops Cedarwood essential oil
3 drops wild Orange essential oil
3 drops Cassia essential oil
2 drops Juniper Berry essential oil

Fill diffuser with appropriate level of water and add the drops of oil. Turn the diffuser on. Enjoy the aroma!

Autumn Meadows

4 drops Douglas Fir
2 drops Cypress essential oil
2 drops Patchouli essential oil
2 drops Juniper Berry essential oil

Follow directions above.

There is a url to the magazine online and it is found here: https://www.joomag.com/magazine/living-magazine-fall-2016/0969107001474309110

Here is the url where you can find more info on essential oils and you can even order from here:
https://www.mydoterra.com/susanseifert1/#/

My New Kitchen Toy - Instant Pot - A Multi-Task Appliance

    OK I caved in and ordered one of these about a week after I discovered them. This is called an 'Instant Pot' and it is a wonderful kitchen appliance.

      When I first heard about this, I pondered whether I would even need one or not. This one has 7 features to it, most of which I already had appliances for. But, there was one feature I did not have; a pressure cooker.

    I had a pressure cooker years ago, and used it a couple of times. I was unimpressed. Eventually, the knob broke off and I got rid of it. I didn't care for the food I made in it. But then again, I only used it a couple of times.

    I saw some appealing looking meals that were made with this appliance, and I must say, I wanted to make those as well. Because the appliance has a saute feature, the finished product was crispy, not soggy. 

      I already have 2 yogurt makers, but wanted one that would use glass jars that would fit inside. One of my yogurt makers uses little glass jars and I love it. That little yogurt making machine is probably as old as my daughter is, so I have had that one for at least 30 years now. I bought another one which works well, but, I can't fit a jar in it, unless the jar is very small. But with this Instant Pot, I can put 4 small or medium jars inside and make yogurt in it. 

   (Note: There are a couple of versions of Instant Pot and not all of them have the yogurt feature.) 

     The first thing I made in this pot was yogurt. It was time again to make more yogurt, and I was somewhat skeptical of how it would turn out. I read the reviews on it and others who made yogurt were very pleased. So, I tried my hand at it. I prepared it before I went to bed that night. Then everything went into the pot and I followed the instructions. When I got up the next morning, the yogurt had been done. It did turn out perfect.

My Instant Pot Cooker - Pressure cooker, rice cooker, saute feature, yogurt maker, and many
other things this appliance can do.

     The next thing I would make was a chicken. Again, I went to the internet to find information on how to make it, and I also bought a recipe book. The chicken turned out fine, but the whole process took about 2 hours or so to make, probably because I was not familiar with how to make a chicken in this appliance. 

     Later on, I was in a forum on Facebook for Instant Pot users. Someone had made popcorn in the Instant Pot. So, I thought I would try that as well. I followed the directions, and it turned out, but, I made the mistake of leaving the pressure valve closed, so when I made the popcorn, I made it under pressure. We learn by our mistakes. Also, I used butter, like the directions said, but the butter burned and made the popcorn dark. The popcorn itself was not burned though, but many kernels did not pop. I will try this again with just coconut oil. 

   I don't know who gets the credit for this recipe, but this is the one I found on Facebook.

Instant Pot Popcorn

Turn on SAUTE and press Adjust to raise temp to High.

When display reads HOT, add olive oil and butter. 

Wait about 1 minute then pour in corn kernels. 

Stir and make sure the fat is covering all the kernels. 

If not add more oil. 

Cover (I use the IP glass Iid) and in 2 minutes or so the corn will start popping. 

When about 2/3 of the corn has popped, turn IP off and let sit to finish popping. 

Add salt and any seasonings.

4 TBS. olive oil
3 TBS. butter
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
Salt/seasonings

Like I said, I would not use butter in the Instant Pot while cooking. Of course, it may have thought it was pressure cooking and that could have been why the butter burned. I would definitely put butter on it afterward. I also used coconut oil instead of olive oil. 

I plan to make a cheesecake tomorrow. Last week, I ordered a springform pan that was made out of safe material, that would also fit in the Instant Pot. 

Here is the one I got from amazon.com

     This one is a six quart pressure cooker with 7 different functions including yogurt making. Some of the other functions are; slow-cooker, saute, steamer/warmer, and rice cooker. I also got a recipe book to go with it. There are a lot of recipes for this on Pinterest as well. I could spend all day looking at recipes for the Instant Pot on the Internet!

  This is the cookbook I ordered:



   There are actually several Instant Pot recipe books. I may order more or maybe will just spend time going through all the recipes on Pinterest.

     The Instant Pot comes in different sizes as well. They also go on sale on amazon.com periodically, so check every day if you are waiting for a sale. I could not wait for the sale so I just ordered it as soon as I was ready and able to.

   How did I miss ever seeing this appliance until now?

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